Could this signing kick off a brand new era of success at Chelsea?

When EURO 2016 finally comes to an end and the testing realms of Stamford Bridge begin beckoning, Antonio Conte will certainly have a massive task on his hands in trying to restore Chelsea’s once dominant status.

The upcoming summer transfer window could therefore prove massive for the Blues one way or another, especially as Borussia Dortmund’s goalscoring playmaker, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, is reportedly a major transfer target to help begin a successful new era at Stamford Bridge.

So then, in light of Chelsea’s distinct problems, is this the man to really launch something special for the Blues in 2016/17, or should Conte’s new outfit simply look beyond the 27-year-old Armenia international?

Well, although Mkhitaryan does admittedly represent something of an admired player on the European scene right in the here and now, the current Bundesliga favourite is arguably still somewhat under-rated within the modern era.

This is a player who clearly pays witness to a rather effective overall game. Mkhitaryan has scored an impressive 23 goals in all competitions this season, his ability to assist his Borussia Dortmund team-mates inside the final third has also been very impressive and although both Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have seemingly stolen most of the headlines for Dortmund this term, Thomas Tuchel’s side simply wouldn’t be where they are right now if it wasn’t for the efforts of this latest Chelsea target.

The Armenian successfully manages to combine a direct nature inside the final third with a distinctly composed style on the ball, with his ability to find his respective colleagues all across the pitch often leaving very little to be desired, while his shooting prowess in and around the opposition’s penalty box is also pretty effective.

Chelsea’s subsequent interest in the quick-footed attacking midfielder therefore arrives as little surprise in the cold light of day, even if several other high profile stars have also been supposedly linked with an illustrious switch to Stamford Bridge.

Whilst certain sections of the determined Blues faithful would admittedly rather see someone with the reputation of Paul Pogba or Antoine Griezmann step in and do the business next term, Mkhitaryan is arguably just as deserving of Chelsea’s summer attention.

The 27-year-old Dortmund star could also represent better value for money than the two aforementioned French attackers of course, which even for a club as financially secure as the Blues, could sway Conte’s ultimate decision.

In the end then, Henrikh Mkhitaryan may not be the first high-profile transfer target to appear in the minds of Chelsea fans far and wide this term, but does that mean that the 27-year-old attacking midfielder wouldn’t serve to impress down at Stamford Bridge for the upcoming 2016/17 campaign? Absolutely not…